


Real To Me

by FlareLunari



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Angst, Disdain towards commoners, Fluff, King Heldalf, M/M, Minor Character Death (Mentioned), Outrageous puns, Pastries, Pastry Chef Mikleo, Prince Sorey, Private School, Studying, class conflict, dorks will be dorks, possible triggers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-10-09
Packaged: 2018-12-31 08:21:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12128397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlareLunari/pseuds/FlareLunari
Summary: Sorey has only seen a few glimpses of the new pastry chef his private school has hired - and he is very much intrigued. Their friendship is frowned upon and some hurdles seem almost impossible to overcome, yet they never stop trying.(Or the one where prince Sorey becomes friends with a pastry chef named Mikleo, confronts his demons and goes on a journey to be free of his heritage - at least for now.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pastelgabby](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastelgabby/gifts).



> Eh yeah, I don't even know how this happened, but yeah.
> 
> I know this is probably not quite what you intended with your prompt, gab, but I hope you'll like it anyway! Get well soon! ♥
> 
> Thank you to **krisseycrystal** for the outrageous but wonderful puns and encouraging me always ♥  
>  And also thank you to **ChiuuChiuu** for betareading this on short notice :*

With a weary sigh Sorey flopped face first onto one of the plush red velvet couches in his sitting room. School was exhausting – even when you were the prince. Sure, he had a lot of privileges and amenities, but when it came to studying he was just like everyone else; had to work for his good grades.

After two hours of revising and going through the things he needed for his upcoming history exam, Sorey had vacated his hard desk chair in favor of somewhere more comfortable. Words and pictures swam together, made his head spin and he was just completely done with the world. All Sorey wanted was rest – and _food_. His stomach was rumbling and he decided it was time to pay a visit to the kitchen.

Unfortunately he had missed dinner and for once Sorey really regretted that he had declined the school’s offer to serve his meals directly in his suite. Normally students weren’t allowed into the kitchen, but rules had never deterred him at all. Breaking them brought a little excitement into his life, which he wouldn’t miss for the world. So he dragged himself off the couch and was out of the door a few seconds later. 

Thankfully the way wasn’t that far, since his suite was located on the ground floor – due to safety reasons. As Sorey rounded the corner, he saw one of the teachers walk in his direction and quickly ducked behind a suit of old, rusty armor. The man hadn’t noticed him, because he just passed Sorey and didn’t even look up from the book he was reading. Carefully he checked if the coast was otherwise clear and when he didn’t see anyone else around, Sorey briskly walked down the corridor and around another corner.

The kitchen was located at the end of the next hall, so he had almost made it. At this time of day Dezel – the head chef – was already off work and usually one of his assistants would be there by themselves. After a few unfortunate run-ins with Dezel – who scared the hell out of him – Sorey had figured out how things worked in the kitchen and never went there before a certain time in the afternoon or early evening.

Lailah was nice, but usually shooed him out pretty fast, while Zaveid couldn’t stop talking – mainly about women. But a little while ago, the school had hired someone new. The boy couldn’t be much older than himself and was apparently a pastry chef. Sorey had only seen a few glimpses of him and was very much intrigued. He was slender and had unusual white hair with light blue ends, but what drew Sorey’s attention the most, were beautiful lavender eyes that had looked at him for only a second before Mikleo quickly turned away with a blush.

He had learned the name from Zaveid, who was always very forthcoming with information – or rather _gossip_. Surprisingly though, there hadn’t been much else to tell about the pastry chef. So Sorey had made it his mission to find out for himself. Maybe luck would be on his side tonight and Mikleo would be the one in the kitchen.

Sorey carefully pushed the door open and looked around the corner. Apparently Maotelus had heard his prayers, because – there he was. The blue headband he usually wore lay discarded on a chair next to the worktable and Mikleo seemed completely immersed in his task. So much so, that he hadn’t heard Sorey open the door – or approach.

The white strands of hair stuck up in different directions and he looked just adorable in his colorful yukata. Sorey almost didn’t want to disturb him, but his stomach had other ideas. The loud rumbling made Mikleo gasp and turn around. Sorey smiled sheepishly and scratched his head, shrugging apologetically.

“Prince ...”

It was only a breathless whisper and Mikleo seemed to be completely out of sorts, unsure of how he was supposed to behave in front of royalty.

“Ah, Sorey is just fine. I’m sorry for disturbing you, but … I missed dinner and … I’m kinda hungry?”

Nodding vigorously, the pastry chef put aside his decorating tools and nearly tripped on the hem of his yukata as he tried to get to the counter where leftover food had been stored. Sorey could hear him take a deep breath and started to feel a little sorry for the poor guy. Sometimes he really hated being the prince, just because people seemed to fear him for no reason.

Resolutely he took a step towards Mikleo and grabbed the other boy’s hand. Sorey wasn’t quite sure what he was actually doing, but somehow it felt important to make him _understand_.

“Listen Mikleo, just calm down, okay? I’m just a normal guy, like you, like Zaveid … okay, maybe not Zaveid, but yeah, like … You get the idea?”

Apparently he was so tired and confused, that his brain to mouth filter had been completely disabled. Okay, not optimal, but he could work with that. Mikleo still hadn’t said anything, so Sorey rambled on.

“I mean, please don’t be nervous? I don’t bite – I promise?”

He didn’t even care how desperate he sounded. Sorey really wanted to get to know this beautiful boy in front of him and times like these needed desperate measures, so he gently squeezed the other’s hand that was still in his. Mikleo slightly turned to look at him and seemed a bit confused.

“You know my name.”

Sorey raised his eyebrows and wondered if that was all Mikleo had gotten out of the – admittedly very one-sided – conversation. He did seem a little calmer now though.

“Yeah, Zaveid told me. I come here pretty often. Do you mind?”

After a second of hesitation Mikleo finally shook his head and Sorey let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. What was it about this boy that drew him in like magic? He didn’t know, but it was undeniably there.

“What would you like to eat?”

The question startled him and Sorey berated himself for forgetting the reason of his visit in the kitchen. On command his stomach rumbled again.

“Uh, anything from dinner would be fine? I’m not really picky.”

Mikleo moved over to the covered platters of leftover food and gingerly lifted the lids. Sorey nearly salivated at the sight of juicy cold cuts and fluffy bread rolls. He caught the other boy’s smirk before Mikleo could turned away to fetch him a plate.

“A sandwich with roast beef, perhaps?”

He could hear the smile in Mikleo’s voice and Sorey was glad that the other seemed to have warmed up a bit. Time to take it up a notch then.

“Since we got off to a bit of a bad start – it’s nice to _meat_ you, Mikleo.”

The pastry chef completely stopped in his tracks, roll and the knife, he was using to slice it, limp in his hands. He didn’t say a word and after a moment Sorey couldn’t help himself and nervously started shifting from one foot to the other. Had he made a complete fool of himself in front of the other now?

“… you are on quite the _roll_ tonight, huh?”

With that dryly muttered line he continued his work and Sorey nearly bowled over in surprise. Had he actually just made a pun back? Oh now it was definitely on!

Mikleo handed him the prepared roll and leaned casually against the counter, seemingly watching him. It looked a bit weird how he stood there in those traditional clothes and Sorey had to force himself to focus on his food instead of trying to imagine what Mikleo looked like underneath them.

“Mikleo, are you angry with me?”

He tried to make his best puppy dog impression, which seemed to confuse the other boy even further. 

“I just met you for the first time – why would I be?”

Sorey took a step forwards, clearly invading Mikleo’s space and smirked. Since he really was very hungry, Sorey bit into his roll and nearly groaned. It tasted wonderful. Then he had an idea and pulled a piece of meat from the sandwich, waving it in the other’s face.

“I was just wondering if you might have any … _beef_ with me.”

Mikleo literally stared at him and scrunched up his nose in distaste. Sorey knew he should probably be offended, but it just looked way too cute.

“Oh come on, you can do better than that, I’m sure.”

With a gasp Sorey clutched his chest and looked at Mikleo with wide eyes. 

“You wound me – that was my best joke!”

After totally crushing his pride as a master of puns, the pastry chef now even had the audacity to snort at him. Maybe he had found his match in the other boy. But then again … nah.

“You _doughn’t_ say.”

All in all this little visit was going in a completely different direction from what Sorey had anticipated after Mikleo’s initial reaction. But he liked it – liked it a lot. He still didn’t know anything about the other boy, but Sorey had a feeling that it would only be a matter of time for that to change.

“Man, now who’s on a roll?”

The pastry chef shrugged but smiled at him. Sorey finished eating his roll and was at a bit of a loss on how to continue their conversation, but he wouldn’t have needed to worry.

“I have a question though; what brings you – the prince – down here for food? Don’t they like, serve you in your suite or something?”

Of course he wanted to get to know the other boy and also wanted to tell Mikleo about himself, but that was quite the loaded question. At least for him it was.

“I didn’t want that. People avoid me or cower in front of me enough as is, you see. I don’t need that to escalate any further by getting special treatment. I’m just a regular teenager – like everyone else; that’s all I _want_ to be.”

Sorey stared at his feet when he realized how loud his voice had become. He didn’t mean to basically yell at Mikleo, but this topic always made him angry and he felt vulnerable. As he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, Sorey’s gaze snapped up. Mikleo was standing right in front of him now, with a gentle smile on his face.

“I don’t know what it’s like to live a life like yours, but seeing you like this now, makes me realize that it’s not necessarily something to envy. I used to do that, because I always thought you must have a wonderful and perfect life … while I had to work hard and in the end still couldn’t go to school. But that’s neither here nor there. Please stay as you are, yeah? The world needs more people like you.”

To say he was shocked at Mikleo’s little speech would be a complete understatement. There were so many things he wanted to ask, so much he wanted to know about the other. But right now he couldn’t bring himself to say anything at all. So instead he wrapped his arms around Mikleo and hugged him. Hands soothingly went up and down his back and Sorey dropped his head on the other’s shoulder, sighed deeply.

“I’ll try, but it’s not always easy …”

The words were only a whisper, but he was sure Mikleo had heard them so close to his ear.

“That’s all anyone could ask of you, Sorey.”

It was the first time that Mikleo had used his name and a shiver ran down Sorey’s spine. They didn’t know each other at all and yet he felt closer to Mikleo than he had to anyone else in forever. Everyone was always nice to him, but they seemed so fake most of the time, where Mikleo was – not.

Carefully he ended the hug and took a step back, smiling sheepishly at the pastry chef. The expression on his face was serious and yet again Sorey didn’t know what to do or say. So he did what he did best – pretend everything was fine.

“Ah, sorry for getting so sentimental on you, I’m not usually like that …”

The words sounded lame even to his own ears and Mikleo snorted, sighed.

“It’s okay, Sorey. You don’t have to pretend you’re fine, you know. I won’t tell anyone, if that’s what you fear.”

He raised his hands in a defensive gesture and shook his head. Sorey really hadn’t meant for it to come out like that. Hell, he didn’t want to push Mikleo away with his stupidity, especially since they just had a moment. So he dropped the smile.

“Hey no, that’s not what I meant. I … It’s a habit, I guess. My defense mechanism when I don’t know how to act.”

It wasn’t easy to admit this, but it also felt freeing – in a way. A feeling in his gut told him, that he could trust Mikleo, even though it was completely irrational. And he wanted to.

A weird emotion flickered over Mikleo’s face for just a second, before he smiled at Sorey and lightly bumped his shoulder with a fist.

“Let’s be friends.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the lovely comments ♥ I'm going to try and update this every Monday - hopefully I can manage! 
> 
> First this was supposed to be a oneshot, then a threeshot and now I really don't know anymore x) So I'll have to see how many chapters there will be - at least five though.
> 
> Thanks again to my wonderful enabler and friend **krisseycrystal** for screaming at me and cheering me on - ILU! ♥♥♥

Ever since that slightly odd first meeting, Mikleo had been seeing a lot more of Sorey than he ever dreamt of. They had stayed together in the kitchen for quite some time, talking about this and that and maybe even about the sense of life itself – he didn’t quite remember it all. At some point Sorey had almost fallen asleep on the kitchen floor, so Mikleo shooed him gently out the door and back to his suite of rooms. The prince had been reluctant, but finally agreed after Mikleo promised him that they’d see each other again soon.

He ended up staying till almost midnight to finish his work on the pastries for the next day – but that had been worth it. Sorey was definitely very different from how Mikleo had perceived him to be. When in company of his friends – or maybe rather _entourage_ – he was always good natured and smiled a lot, but when one knew what to look for; his eyes told a different story entirely.

The light of Sorey’s smile never really reached them. Those people only saw him as _the prince_ and wanted to be in his good graces, but no one really cared who _Sorey_ really was. Mikleo would be a liar if he would say that he’d been much different before they’d actually met in the kitchen, but now --

“Mikleo, are you alright?”

Lailah’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts and Mikleo realized that his hand had stopped in midair – icing dripping onto the table next to a half finished cupcake. Hastily he cleaned up the mess and smiled apologetically.

“Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about something.”

Mikleo flinched slightly when a heavy arm was draped over his shoulders and he was pressed against Zaveid’s chest. The man ruffled his hair, which made the blue bandana sit on his head all askew. Personal space was definitely a word that did not exist for Zaveid.

“Ah, is little Mik-boy in looove? Who’s the lucky girl, eh?”

Lailah giggled and winked at him. Mikleo hadn’t been working in the kitchen for very long, but it was pretty obvious that she had the hots for Zaveid – who was completely oblivious. But it wasn’t his place to interfere, so Mikleo kept quiet about all the things he had observed so far.

“Not everything is about women.”

Zaveid snorted and gave him what was probably supposed to be a _pat_ on the back, but was rather a pretty hard _slap_ and laughed loudly.

“Come on, you can’t fool _me_!”

Before Mikleo could answer though, Dezel cleared his throat behind them. Immediately the arm vanished and Zaveid went back into his corner of the kitchen. Dutifully he started cleaning the mountain of dishes that had piled up there and didn’t say another word. Mikleo was a little afraid of the head chef – so was everyone else here – but he was also thankful that Dezel could keep Zaveid in check like that.

Mikleo had just put a swirl of icing on the last of his cupcakes when Lailah tapped him on the shoulder and basically shoved a tray at him. Thankfully his reflexes were at least decent and he caught it before the tray could clatter to the floor.

“What …?”

She smiled apologetically and shrugged.

“Dezel wants you to bring this to Prince Sorey. I trust you know where his suite of rooms is?”

He nodded hastily and glanced at Dezel, who actually sort of smiled at him. It kind of looked like a shark preparing to hunt its prey, but Mikleo understood the gesture. They hadn’t been exactly secretive about their friendship and he was not surprised that at least the head chef had noticed.

“Yes, of course. I’ll go right away.”

Tray in hand, Mikleo left the kitchen and walked down the corridor that connected the kitchen wing to the main hall. A few students and a teacher passed him by as he walked in the direction of Sorey’s rooms. He always got quite a few odd looks and heard them whisper behind his back but Mikleo tried to ignore it all. This was his job – and he wanted to keep it. 

Of course his friendship with Sorey was not a part of that, but he didn’t want either of them to get into trouble for openly displaying it in front of the wrong people. So he always remained professional and stoic until they were behind closed doors.

The guard in front of Sorey’s door seemed to recognize him and nodded at Mikleo before he opened the door for him. He returned the friendly gesture with a smile. From the entrance he could already see Sorey sprawling on one of the plush couches; book in hand. He seemed pretty into what he was reading, because he didn’t notice Mikleo at all.

He sat down the tray on a table as silently as he could and crouched next to Sorey, whose nose almost touched the pages of the book he was reading.

“Boo.”

With a very undignified squeak, Sorey bumped his forehead into said book and groaned. Mikleo couldn’t hold his laughter in and clutched his sides while Sorey pouted slightly.

“Hey, no fair!”

It didn’t take long though, before Sorey started to howl with laughter too. When they finally quieted down, Mikleo smiled at Sorey and stood up from his position next to the couch. He straightened his yukata and pointed to the tray he brought.

“The boss is sending you refreshments.”

Sorey practically flew off the couch and grabbed a sandwich from the tray, stuffing it into his mouth. He looked a bit like a hamster and definitely not very refined – like a prince should be. Mikleo grinned and it made him happy that the other boy trusted him enough to just be himself. No more walls to hide behind and no pretending, that he was something he wasn’t.

“Hmm, this is so good! But then again, I could eat pretty much anything right now …”

Sorey offered the tray to Mikleo, who looked at him funny for a second, but then just took a sandwich for himself and gingerly bit into it. Work had been tiring and he hadn’t had the chance to eat lunch yet, so the food was more than welcome. Before, he probably would have declined because it seemed _improper_ to share food with the prince. But now that things were different …

The smile Sorey directed at him was almost blinding – as if he _knew_. 

“Can you stay for a bit, or do they need you back in the kitchen?”

He looked so hopeful and pleading. Mikleo smiled fondly and fiddled with the edge of his bandana – while trying to ignore the warm feeling that Sorey’s eagerness, to spend time with him, conjured. 

“I actually just finished decorating cupcakes, so I can take a bit of a break.”

Dezel sure had timed it well. Mikleo wondered why the head chef seemed so invested into their relationship, but maybe he had noticed certain things about the prince as well. He was the quiet type most of the time, but apparently also very observant. Nothing that happened in the kitchen ever eluded him.

“Wonderful! I could definitely use a break from my studies – it’s a wonder my head isn’t smoking yet.”

Mikleo hid a smile behind his hand and glanced to the – now forgotten – book that was lying face down on the couch.

“What were you reading just now?”

Mikleo had always wanted to continue school, but his mom and uncle weren’t wealthy enough to pay for his further education, so he had to arrange himself with the fact that he needed to get a job instead. He loved baking and decorating his cakes, cookies and other things, but in the back of his mind there was still the thirst for knowledge that didn’t want to be quelled entirely.

“Oh, that? The Celestial Record, a book for my history class. It’s actually quite interesting. Do you want to see?”

He didn’t want to seem too eager, but Mikleo nodded immediately. The Celestial Record was one of the books he had heard about but could never read himself, because it was way too costly for his meager income.

“I’d love to! I … ah, nevermind.”

He didn’t really want to talk about the things that could never be and yet Mikleo had almost mentioned it in front of Sorey – of all people. He didn’t want the other boy to think less of him because he didn’t have a higher education.

“Tell me.”

Of course Sorey would ask – no surprise there. Maybe he could evade it somehow. Almost automatically Mikleo’s gaze dropped to the floor and a sad smile lingered on his lips.

“Ah, it’s silly, because it will never happen.”

For years he had dreamt of studying at a school like this – not a private one of course. But any school that would help him gain the knowledge he was seeking.

“Please?”

Maybe he should just give in and get it over with. He could always pretend it didn’t face him in the slightest if Sorey would laugh at him. But would he even? Sometimes it was still difficult to see the prince as just _Sorey_ , a guy like any other and not the public image he had to project to the world. To understand that the guy, that was looking at him with puppy dog eyes right now and invading his personal space – and the smiling, _unreachable_ prince were one and the same.

“Okay, you win, you win! I always wanted to study history and archaeology.”

Now Mikleo had said it and couldn’t take it back. Sorey seemed incredibly surprised, if his wide eyes were any indication. And he also seemed – excited?

“Really? Wow, that’s exactly what I’m studying! Why didn’t you?”

While it had been hard to confess what he secretly wanted to do, telling _the prince_ about the reason why he _couldn’t_ was infinitely worse. While Mikleo resented the fees and laws the king had decreed to fill his own coffers, he did not resent _Sorey_ for what his father had done. So he didn’t want the other boy to feel like he did.

“Because my family couldn’t afford it, so I became a pastry chef instead.”

Which was a fine job, much better than a lot of others could have been; when you thought about it. It didn’t pay the world, but at least he had a roof over his head and enough to eat.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t think ...”

Mikleo interrupted him with a hand gesture. He didn’t like the look in Sorey’s eyes just then – not at all. When he had agreed to stay, this was definitely not what Mikleo had in mind.

“No, don’t. I don’t want your pity – or anyone else’s for that matter.”

Sorey stared at him and lifted his hands in a defensive gesture. He shook his head firmly and took another step towards Mikleo, bringing them into even closer proximity.

“I’m not pitying you at all, it just saddens me that there are people in this kingdom, that don’t get the chance to learn the things they want to because it’s so costly. I’m going to bring this up with my father, maybe being the prince can be useful for something, after all …”

A dark look crossed his face and Mikleo wasn’t sure what to think, yet he was also a little afraid to ask the question that he wanted to ask. But – what was there to lose?

“Are you close? You and your father?”

Sorey sighed, stepped past Mikleo and flopped down onto the couch. He looked a bit dejected and fiddled with the hem of his shirt, didn’t answer for the longest time. For a moment Mikleo debated with himself if he should just leave Sorey alone, but then the prince cleared his throat and sighed.

“We … Not really – not anymore. It’s probably common knowledge, but my mother died of an illness when I was very young. My father, the king … He never really got over it. I didn’t see much of him after her death, because he was always looking for new distractions. Nameless women, alcohol … Then politics.   
When I was a child I didn’t understand what he was doing, but when I grew older ... I don’t like how he is running this kingdom, but when I spoke up about it, he put me here to get me out of his way. We sometimes have dinner together, when he feels like summoning me to inquire how things are going in school. Usually he just ignores me during the rest of the evening and talks about politics with the rest of his guests.   
But I want to make myself heard! I ... I want to at least try and make life better for the people in this kingdom, because they have been suffering long enough.”

He took a deep breath and looked at Mikleo, who nearly gasped, but caught himself at the last second. Sorey looked so vulnerable, so sad – so _lonely_. It was painful to see him like this and Mikleo didn’t really know what to do. He thought back to their very first meeting and then his body acted almost by itself.

Carefully he kneeled down in front of Sorey and hugged the other boy. It was kind of a déjà vu, but Mikleo hoped that it would comfort the prince at least a little bit. After a moment of hesitation he gently carded his fingers through the brown strands of hair that tickled his cheek and earned a breathy sigh. Sorey wrapped his arms around Mikleo and pressed him close to his chest, buried his face into the other’s neck. For a long time they just stayed like that, neither saying a word – their quiet breathing the only sound in the room.

Until the door opened and a surprised gasp made them turn around with wide eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the comments and I'm sorry for the late replies to those D: But I will be better about that from now on - I promise! ♥

Ever since Mikleo had expressed his interest in the same things Sorey loved and cherished, he made sure to include the pastry chef into his studies as much as he could. Together they had read the entire Celestial Record – and discussed it at length. He loved spending time with Mikleo, loved the quick wit and dry humor the other possessed. The pastry chef was simply fascinating to him.

His status as the prince made it difficult for them to have a friendship though. Ever since Sorey had attempted to bring Mikleo to a gathering with the few friends he had, whispers could be heard around the entire school and he had to realize that some of the people he thought were trustworthy were in fact just like everyone else – fake. Besides Mikleo, there was really only one person he could call a true friend. She was wild and rather odd at times – but someone he could depend on.

 

_Sorey smiled apologetically at Mikleo. He had completely forgotten that Rose was supposed to drop by and borrow one of his books. With a sigh he let go off the pastry chef and helped Mikleo up from his kneeling position._

_“I’m sorry Rose, I forgot you were coming over. You_ could _have knocked though.”_

_The red haired girl snorted and flipped him off. Mikleo’s surprised look at that was priceless, yet Sorey didn’t really feel like smiling. The conversation had drained him more than the thought, but thankfully he didn’t need to pretend in front of Rose._

_“Yeah, yeah. Care to tell me what’s going on here? Who’s yukata dude over there?”_

_Right, he hadn’t mentioned Mikleo in front of her yet because he had wanted to keep his friendship with the pastry chef his little secret for the time being._

_“I’m Mikleo, a friend of Sorey’s. And you are?”_

_Before Sorey could say anything, Mikleo had already introduced himself and the prince was thankful for that. Lightly he leaned against the other boy, who supported his weight by putting an arm around Sorey’s shoulders. He could feel Mikleo’s thumb rubbing small circles on his collarbone and it calmed Sorey quite a bit._

_“Me? I’m Rose, one of Sorey’s classmates – and_ also _his friend. Yet he has never mentioned you. How come?”_

_Sorey sighed tiredly and shook his head, hid it in the crook of Mikleo’s neck for a brief moment. He didn’t want to deal with this right now, didn’t want to explain anything or justify himself._

_“Look, now isn’t the time for sass, okay? I don’t need to tell you everything, but I would have introduced you at some point. Which book is it that you need?”_

_Rose seemed to finally realize that something was up and her cheeky smile turned into a worried frown._

_“Are you alright? Did something happen?”_

_He appreciated the concern, but still didn’t really want to elaborate. Rose knew how things were with his father, so she would hopefully understand anyway._

_“Not really, I’m just ... tired of being the prince of this kingdom.”_

_Rose nodded in understanding, but smiled wolfishly at Sorey and pointed a finger at his chest._

_“Yeah, I get it. Just never mind that book for now. I’ll come back for that – and I expect you to tell me all the sordid details of your … friendship with Mikleo here.”_

_She winked at them overdramatically and Sorey realized that the position they had been in could be interpreted quite differently than friendship._

_“Anyway, I’ll show myself out. Bye!”_

_And with that she was gone. Mikleo looked just as confused as Sorey felt. Rose sure was a handful._

 

He hadn’t been in the kitchen for quite some time, so Sorey decided to drop by and maybe get one of Mikleo’s heavenly cupcakes. The pastry chef had brought him plenty of those over the past few weeks and they were quite addicting. With a dopey smile on his face, he walked down the corridor, only to stop in his tracks and turn around with a frown when someone said his name.

“Prince Sorey!”

A girl he vaguely recognized from some of his classes stopped in front of him and smiled. She seemed a little out of breath, so maybe she had sprinted down the corridor to reach him. Odd.

“Ah, I’m sorry to disturb you, your Highness, but I was wondering if you possibly have a moment for me? My name is Alisha Diphda.”

Sorey raised his eyebrows and nodded. He hated to be addressed formally, but decided to keep quiet about it – for the moment. He was in a bit of a hurry to get to the kitchen and possibly spend some time with Mikleo, but he was curious what Alisha had to say.

“Yes, of course. I have a few minutes I can spare.”

She clamped her hands together and bowed, which almost made Sorey groan out loud.

“Oh, thank you so much, your Highness! I shall be quick, as I don’t want to impose on your time more than necessary.”

Sorey sighed and fiddled with one of his feather earrings. This was getting ridiculous.

“Okay, look – Alisha. Please just call me Sorey, okay? There is no need for formalities and please – _please_ don’t bow.”

Her face was priceless, but she nodded – seemed to recover quickly.

“Thank you, your H-- _Sorey_. I accidentally heard the conversation you had with Lady Maltran and a few students from our class during the cocktail party ... It’s not really my place, but I wanted to compliment you on your defense of the companion you brought. It gave me hope for the future of this kingdom – hope that not all is lost for the people who live here.”

Alisha nearly bowed again, but seemed to catch herself at the last moment. Instead she just smiled at Sorey’s stunned face. This was definitely not what he had expected. He vaguely recalled that the Diphda family was quite influential and also heavily involved with the politics of their kingdom. For someone like that to express their support was extraordinary – to say the least.

“I … Thank you Alisha. That means a lot to me.”

She nodded, grabbed his hand and gave it a short squeeze before she abruptly turned around. Sorey simply stared after her retreating back until she suddenly came to a halt a few steps down the corridor and looked at him once more.

“If you ever need anything – help, support, _a friend_ – please don’t hesitate to contact me.”

Then she was gone. And Sorey didn’t really know what to think – _at all_. This had to be the strangest encounter he had ever had. Deep in thought he made his way towards the kitchen and almost didn’t realize that he was there already. Sorey was so confused that he barely avoided a collision with the door and then Zaveid – who opened it.

“Ah, if it isn’t the prince! I’m sure Mik-boy is already waiting for you.”

He gave Sorey thumbs up and walked past him, whistling some kind of tune – very off key. He just stood there until he felt a hand on his shoulder. Mikleo was looking at him with a questioning look and Sorey sighed, leaned his forehead against the pastry chef’s shoulder.

Alisha was nice and he was really grateful for her support, but that particular conversation she mentioned – that was something he had desperately been trying to _forget_.

 

_“Do you really think this is a good idea?”_

_Mikleo seemed very unsure of himself, but Sorey was just happy the other boy had agreed to come with him tonight. He had lent Mikleo one of his shirts and a pair of dress pants – and assured him that they looked good on him. His unusual hair was on full display tonight – no bandana to hide the white and blue tresses from view. Sorey couldn’t help but stare at him in awe now and then._

_“It’ll be fine – you’ll see! You are my best friend, so I want you to meet my other friends, too!”_

_It hadn’t been difficult to find Uno and Lucas; they were usually near the refreshment table. Champagne glasses in hand, they had been engrossed into conversation, but Sorey dragged Mikleo over anyway._

_“Hey!”_

_The two turned towards them and smiled at Sorey – but frowned when they saw the other boy with him. Sorey didn’t miss how they scrutinized the pastry chef and then looked back towards him, eyebrows raised._

_“Who is your friend, Sorey?”_

_He found their behavior rather odd, but Sorey went ahead and introduced Mikleo anyway._

_“This is Mikleo. Mikleo, these boys are Uno and Lucas. We are in the same year and share most of our classes.”_

_Again they scrutinized Mikleo from head to toe. Lucas looked at Uno, who just shrugged his shoulders._

_“It’s nice to make your acquaintance, Mikleo. Sorey has never mentioned you before – are your parents on the council? Do you study at a different school?”_

_Suddenly Sorey regretted bringing Mikleo here, but it was too late. He should have listened to the pastry chef. He should have._

_“No, I’m a pastry chef.”_

_Lucas sneered at the words ‘pastry chef’ and Uno snorted. He seemed to come to some sort of revelation and smirked arrogantly at Mikleo._

_“Ah, I knew I’d seen you before. You are that weird kid that normally runs around in a yukata. I’m amazed you were able to afford clothes like these …”_

_He pointed to Sorey’s clothes on Mikleo and the prince paled. Never would he have thought bringing Mikleo would garner such a reaction._

_“Pastry chef, really? Why do you waste your time with lowly scum like that? You’re the prince!”_

_Lucas gestured wildly and the distaste was plainly visible on his face. Sorey was disappointed and horrified, to say the least. How could he call people like that friends? People that gave him a fake smile day in, day out – to appease the prince._

_“I ... I think I should leave.”_

_Mikleo’s quiet words distracted Sorey from his thoughts and he instinctively grabbed the other boy’s sleeve to keep him from leaving._

_“Yeah, go back to your dirty kitchen – where you belong!”_

_Those words stung and Sorey’s mind was reeling. How could he have been so wrong about these people? And if it wasn’t enough already, one of the teachers – Lady Maltran – joined their conversation._

_“Is there a problem here?”_

_Her gaze wandered between Sorey and Uno, who sniffed and pointed at Mikleo._

_“Prince Sorey brought the school’s pastry chef to our cocktail party, Lady Maltran.”_

_A cruel twist to her mouth, Maltran looked at Sorey and raised an eyebrow._

_“Is that true? You should know better than this, your Highness. You need to uphold your image – not dawdle your precious time away with unkempt plebeians. King Georg will be most disappointed in you, when he hears of this. He might even have headmaster Bartlow fire the pastry chef.”_

_Her eyes narrowed in Mikleo’s direction as she made a disgusted noise. The pastry chef’s eyes had widened and he looked a little lost._

_“Or has that boy blackmailed you somehow, prince? Should I take care of him?”_

_She looked at Mikleo – and then_ Sorey _– with a gaze so full of malice, that Sorey couldn’t suppress a shudder. He didn’t know what to do – but he_ had _to protect his friend somehow._

 _“I would appreciate it if you would refrain from talking about my_ friend _like this, Lady Maltran. The same goes for you two.”_

_His hands clenched into fists and he directed his angry stare at Maltran. Sorey stepped to the side, effectively shielding Mikleo – who looked incredibly uncomfortable and slightly scared – from her view._

_“If you are not careful, my father will hear about your digression this evening and I’m sure you would like to retain your place as a teacher.”_

_Maltran’s eyes widened at this and she bowed to Sorey. Since he usually never used the power he had as the prince, she probably hadn’t anticipated him to fight back. Without a word she turned on her heel, walked away hastily and didn’t look back. Sorey hoped she wouldn’t talk to his father – or headmaster Bartlow – about any of this._

_Lucas and Uno stared at him for a moment, but then left as well. Mikleo’s fingers gently touched his and Sorey grabbed the other’s hand – couldn’t care less if anyone saw their intertwined hands. He needed the touch right now – the_ support _– just to stay grounded._

 

“Are you okay?”

Mikleo sounded worried and Sorey tried his best to smile at the other boy. Ever since that conversation, he expected to hear from his father any day – but nothing had happened so far. And hopefully it would stay that way.

“Yeah, I just ... I’m so sorry for ever dragging you to that party.”

With a deep sigh Mikleo hugged him briefly and pulled Sorey into the kitchen. No one else was there.

“Stop apologizing already, okay? It’s fine, so please don’t worry anymore.”

He pressed a cupcake into the prince’s hands, who just stared at the pastry, but didn’t eat it. His appetite was completely gone.

Sorey sat on the kitchen counter while Mikleo worked. Watching him decorate cakes calmed the prince down a little and he lost himself in the colorful swirls and dots of icing; followed them steadily with his eyes.

They didn’t talk much at all, just a little bit of Smalltalk here and there. Sorey was grateful that Mikleo didn’t bring up the conversation again, but he still couldn’t stop thinking about it entirely. When they left, it was in silence, but Sorey could feel the lavender gaze linger on his back as he walked down the corridor to his suite.

Thankfully he only had a permanent guard during the day when the school corridors were filled with a lot of people that could potentially harm him, so Sorey didn’t have to interact with anyone. With a tired sigh he opened the door and felt for the light switch. The suite felt so big and impersonal. Sometimes he missed living with his father, missed the way he had been before his mother died. Sorey barely remembered her, but he had a few happy memories with his father he could recall.

Halfway to his bedroom, Sorey noticed something that hadn’t been there before. On the polished mahogany surface of the dinner table was a single cream colored envelope with a red wax seal.

A letter. From his father.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so, this kinda escalated? D: But I hope you will still like this chapter! It's quite a bit longer than the last, too! :D
> 
> Lots of smooches and hugs and thanks to **SkiaWolf** and **krisseycrystal** for encouragement, opinions and corrections! ♥♥ I love you to bits! :3

Two days. Two full days without a word from Sorey and Mikleo had no idea why. When they had parted that night, neither had said anything and maybe he should have? So many things were constantly going through the pastry chef’s head, that it became increasingly difficult to concentrate on his work. Not even Zaveid had bothered him lately, so it must have been pretty obvious how on edge Mikleo was.

Once in a while he caught Lailah looking at him and when she smiled tentatively, he could see a mixture of worry and _pity in her eyes_. Had he been wrong about Sorey after all? Had the prince just amused himself with Mikleo for a while – until he had found someone more interesting, someone _better_? Someone that wasn’t a lowly pastry chef in the school kitchen? And also – had the kitchen staff witnessed something similar before?

There could be a million reasons for Sorey’s absence and Mikleo knew he shouldn’t draw conclusions like that without knowing anything, but he was insecure. They hadn’t really spoken much about the incident at the cocktail party after it happened. Sorey had defended him to the teacher and his classmates, but it had shown Mikleo how different their worlds really were. He didn’t have money, connections or the education required for the circles the prince frequented – nor would he ever have them.

Coward that he was, Mikleo had not tried to go see Sorey either. So maybe he was the one at fault? But the thought of just going there, without a tray of food, in his free time had been very daunting. He had done it a million times before, but back then Sorey had invited him to come. Would the guards even let him in? _Especially_ since they knew who he was? His thoughts got more confusing with each passing hour and Mikleo didn’t even know why he was fretting about it so much.

Their friendship had been somewhat close, but also rather casual. Yet during the short time it lasted, Sorey had shown him things he would otherwise never have seen. After the confession about his financial situation and the inability to follow his dreams, the prince had made sure to include Mikleo into his studies as much as possible. Whenever he had a free moment to spare Mikleo spent time with Sorey, reading in dusty archaeology tomes from the school library or discussing the topics the other had covered in his lessons. So much knew knowledge had been offered to him and it had made Mikleo so very happy.

Though if he was being honest – it wasn’t just their discussions and reading sessions. He genuinely liked the other boy and loved spending time in his presence. Sorey was such a positive person and simply fun to be around. Here and there Mikleo saw a glimpse of the deep sadness that sometimes came to the forefront and it saddened him as well. While they were poor and couldn’t spend much time with each other due to conflicting work schedules and distance, his mother and uncle were kind and loving people that always went out of their way to make him happy. 

Mikleo couldn’t even fathom how it must have been for Sorey to grow up all by himself – mother dead and father just interested in pastimes and politics. It was amazing to see what kind of person the prince had become – one so pure and friendly and _just_. Completely uncorrupted by his father’s deeds.

“Mikleo.”

Dezel’s voice sounded serious and the heavy hand on his shoulder made him cringe for a moment. Mikleo was sure that he was in for the lecture of a lifetime now and sincerely hoped that Dezel wouldn’t fire him because of sloppy work or being distracted too much.

“Yes?”

His voice sounded feeble even to his own ears and when Dezel sighed deeply it confused Mikleo completely. He sounded almost – tired.

“Look, I know you’re worried about Sorey, but you shouldn’t let that affect your work. I need you to snap out of this slump you’re in, but I came to realize it’s not just going to happen by itself. So you and I will have a little talk.”

The hand vanished and Dezel gestured towards the little door in the corner of the kitchen. It led to the back parking lot and vegetable gardens of the school. Hastily Mikleo wiped his icing stained fingers on a kitchen towel and followed the head chef that had already opened the door and seemed to be waiting for him outside. Dezel held the door and closed it with an audible click after Mikleo had stepped through. His eyes met Zaveid’s through the glass pane and the man smiled at Mikleo encouragingly, gave him his usual thumbs up.

The little wooden gate at the entrance to the vegetable garden creaked when Dezel opened it and Mikleo nearly tripped over the hem of the yukata he was wearing in his hurry to follow the man. Again he was reminded of Sorey and their first ever meeting. He had been so terrified when _the prince_ had just randomly shown up at his workplace. King Georg just plain scared him, but prince Sorey had always been just this distant royal people seemed to look up to. To discover that he was actually human – a real person with feelings and sorrows and not the perfect figurehead of the kingdom he had been made to believe Sorey was – was a relief and surprise all at once.

It was also a surprise just how often he was mulling over the same things and how Sorey seemed to be in his every thought lately. Somehow the other boy had weaseled his way into Mikleo’s heart and those feelings, he wouldn’t dare give a name to, didn’t seem to vanish anytime soon. Even now that Mikleo was unsure of why Sorey had not contacted him at all, he couldn’t stop himself from missing his friend. He just meant that much to him.

He really admired Dezel’s patience, because all the head chef did was cough discreetly. Mikleo grabbed his yukata and lifted it a little so he could walk faster and wouldn’t accidentally trip again. After the disaster at the cocktail party Mikleo had briefly considered changing his style of clothing, but he loved wearing the comfortable and colorful garments too much. And he didn’t want to change who he was either, especially not because a bunch of snobs had talked down on him. He was who he was and he didn’t much care beyond that – as long as he didn’t get Sorey in trouble. But no one would really care what he was wearing either way – the fact that he was a plain commoner already deemed him unfit company for royalty.

In the far back of the garden stood a wooden bench and while Mikleo gingerly perched on the edge, Dezel stepped onto it and sat on the backrest. The pastry chef couldn’t help but be reminded of the typical delinquents at the public school he had visited. Dezel did fit the description to a T – at least in the looks department. Yet when one got to know the man, his personality brought a few surprises with it. He was caring and helpful in his own rough way.

“I’ve watched you the past few weeks – to make sure you aren’t trying to take advantage of our prince.”

Mikleo’s head snapped up and he gaped at Dezel. It _did_ make sense, but to hear it so bluntly …

“I have come to the conclusion though; that you are genuinely interested in being Sorey’s friend and not out for benefits his position could potentially bring you. So I approve of you – as do Zaveid and Lailah. You seem to make him happier than he was, so I think you deserve to know a bit more about his background. Has Sorey told you anything about how he grew up?”

He honestly didn’t want to know what would have happened to him if Dezel had come to a different conclusion. But Mikleo had never even entertained the notion of being the prince’s friend before he actually met Sorey. How anyone could want to take advantage of such a pure and friendly person was mind blowing, but then again – a lot of people were corrupted beyond redemption; just like their king.

“He told me about his mother and that things changed a lot after her death …”

Mikleo realized that he really didn’t know much about Sorey’s past – other than what was in the official records about the royal family. Sorey himself hadn’t offered any information apart from the few tidbits about his relationship to the king, but Mikleo couldn’t fault him for that at all.

“Hm, so you know that he didn’t really have parents that took care of him. The king completely ignored Sorey after the queen’s death and left him in the care of nannies that didn’t treat him particularly well either. Presumably because of what the king did to them.”

The silence that followed was heavy with meaning and Mikleo immediately knew what Dezel meant. Sorey _had_ mentioned nameless women and alcohol – but the women probably hadn’t been quite as nameless as he thought. A cold shiver ran down Mikleo’s spine and he clenched his hands into the fabric of his yukata.

It just wasn’t right. How could they have mistreated Sorey – _an innocent child_ – for deeds his father had done? And why had Georg even used his son’s nannies as playthings?

“Since the king had all the pictures removed, you probably don’t know that Sorey looks just like his late mother. Georg can’t stand the sight of him – because Sorey makes him _remember_ – remember what he lost.”

That would definitely explain why he treated his son so coldly and carelessly. Mikleo’s heart went out to Sorey and it was almost like a physical ache. He wanted to hold the prince – comfort him. Protect him from the world, if necessary. But he was only a pastry chef and completely powerless.

“When Sorey turned five, the king sent him here. Probably to get him out of his sight, but who knows …”

So Sorey had been here for thirteen years now? This didn’t match what the prince had told him before, when the topic of King Georg came up. Mikleo couldn’t really understand why.

“Why here? Why this private school?”

Dezel shrugged and shifted his position on the backrest a bit. Mikleo thought he saw the head chef smile for a moment, but it was either gone as soon as it happened or he had just been imagining it.

“Who knows? Sorey got private tutoring until he was old enough to enroll in the actual school, but beyond that – we don’t really know. He was very shy and reserved when he arrived; I still remember it like yesterday. Getting through to him wasn’t easy, but we managed eventually.”

It seemed strange that Dezel used we all the time, but before Mikleo could ask his question, the man continued. As if he had anticipated it.

“Zaveid, Lailah and I grew up here too. We were orphans that the old head chef took in and raised. After some difficulties at the start, Zenrus took Sorey under his wing as well. No one really seemed to care much about the prince when he was still a child, so he came to spend his time with us – as much as he could between his tutoring sessions. He’s like our little brother; so to say.”

Mikleo could hear in Dezel’s voice how fond he was of Sorey and it was a relief to know, that the prince hadn’t been completely alone after all. It also explained why Dezel would send him to Sorey’s rooms frequently, so he could bring the other boy a tray with food. A small gesture – but caring nonetheless.

“We tried to be his family as much as we could, but of course we couldn’t entirely shelter him from the hurt his father is causing him. Georg summons Sorey maybe one or twice a year for dinner at the castle. In the last thirteen years he hasn’t come here to visit even once, hasn’t spent time with his son – hasn’t even written Sorey a goddamn letter that was more than a formal invitation to dine in his presence.”

Dezel’s words were harsh and his anger was almost palpable; rolling off him in waves. It scared Mikleo a little, but the same emotions were boiling up inside of him too, along with sadness and concern for Sorey.

“And yet Sorey still tried to do his best, to make the king _notice_ him. Things weren’t so bad when Zenrus was still around and took care of him as a father figure, but now ...”

He had a bad feeling about this and was almost afraid to ask, but Mikleo wanted to know as much about Sorey’s past as Dezel could tell him. The good, the bad – and the ugly.

“What happened to Zenrus?”

His voice didn’t quite want to cooperate and he had to clear his throat to get the question out. For a moment it appeared as if Dezel hadn’t heard him, but then the man sighed and slid down to sit properly beside Mikleo. His hands were trembling and the pastry chef almost regretted asking.

“He died about two years ago. He … Zenrus wanted to help Sorey and tried to talk to the king. Georg had him executed for it. Just like that.”

Mikleo’s heart nearly stopped and he couldn’t hold in the quiet gasp that escaped him. His head spun and only Dezel’s hand that steadied him kept Mikleo from falling off the bench. He wanted to scream, do something – but what _could_ he do? Nothing. Nothing at all. The world was a terrible place.

“He made us all watch. Made sure no one would ever try to stand up for his son again. And Sorey … He was there too. He had to see how his father the king brutally murdered the one man that actually treated him like a son. After that he became distant again – to protect us.”

He could totally see Sorey doing that, but it was painful to wrap his head around all of this. Mikleo wanted to hug Dezel, but he doubted it would be a welcome gesture. Without being told all of this, he would have never even guessed that there was – or had been – a closer relationship between Sorey and the kitchen trio. Georg had basically condemned his son to a lonely existence – out of spite.

“We tried to reassure him, but Sorey wouldn’t listen. He can be very stubborn if he wants to be. So now we are just watching over him as much as we can. He talks to us, but it’s not the same – will never be the same again. And I fear that he is doing it all again now – to protect you. Talk about the confrontation at that cocktail party traveled fast and Sergei – Sorey’s usual guard – told me that an invitation from the king has arrived a few days ago.”

It made sense – unfortunately. Mikleo wondered if Sorey would ever even talk to him again and the thought alone hurt so much that he felt completely lost.

“I think you should go and try to talk to Sorey. It didn’t work out for us – but I have a feeling he might listen to you. So – please, Mikleo?”

He didn’t understand why Dezel thought that _Mikleo_ of all people would have a chance to get through to Sorey, but he _did_ want to talk to the prince. So far he had been too cowardly, but he just had to get over his fear and face Sorey – even if it was the last time he would talk to the prince. He had to _try_.

“I will. I’ll do it.”

His words were quiet – but full of resolve. Mikleo didn’t feel very brave, but he could finally admit to himself that those feelings for Sorey – the ones he didn’t want to give a name to – were in fact something beyond mere friendship. It scared him, but they would forever be his secret.

“Thank you. You’re excused from your duties for the rest of the day. Best of luck.”

Before Mikleo could say anything to answer, Dezel had already stood up and started walking back down the trail towards the kitchen. He didn’t move just yet and relished the peace and quiet for a moment more. Would Sorey even speak to him? There was only one way to find out.

 

The guard – Sergei – nodded at Mikleo and almost immediately opened the door for him. So he must be in on this then. A light pat on his shoulder and an encouraging smile confirmed Mikleo’s suspicion. At least some people were really looking out for the prince.

It was deadly quiet in Sorey’s rooms and the sound of the door closing behind him seemed unnaturally loud in Mikleo’s ears. As silently as he could, he made his way into the sitting room and when he didn’t see the prince there, he took a deep breath and walked into the direction of Sorey’s bedroom.

The door was closed and obviously meant to shut everyone out that came to disturb him. Should he knock? Or just walk in? Mikleo wasn’t sure. Would Sorey even answer if he just knocked? He decided to take a chance. The turning of the doorknob seemed to happen in slow motion and Mikleo still had the urge to flee. The room was dark, but he could see a silhouette under the covers that moved slightly when he entered.

“Sergei? Is something the matter?”

Sorey sounded tired and so sad that it was like a punch to the face for Mikleo. He should have come here sooner – but would it have done any good? He hadn’t known then what he knew now. How could he even doubt Sorey’s friendship when the prince had just stayed away to protect him?

“Sergei?”

Mikleo could see Sorey turn around in his bed and heard the startled gasp when he finally noticed, that it was not in fact Sergei that stood inside his bedroom door. Immediately he sat up and walked the few steps that were separating them. Sorey’s face was one of confusion – plus a whole plethora of other emotions. 

“Mikleo … What are you doing here?”

Dark shadows were visible under his eyes and the usually pristine clothing he wore was rumpled. Sorey seemed happy to see him, but also very apprehensive.

“Sorey …”

He couldn’t say more than that, because Mikleo’s voice had decided that it didn’t want to cooperate. So throwing all caution to the wind, he did the only thing he really wanted to do in this moment. With a choked sob, Mikleo threw himself into Sorey’s arms and hugged the prince tightly. He wanted to protect him, to shield him from the injustice that was his life – to love and cherish him. Hesitant arms came up and pressed him close. Sorey shakily exhaled and buried his face into Mikleo’s hair; let his hands wander through the pale strands. For what seemed to be an endless moment they just stayed like that, neither wanting to end their embrace.

“Please don’t push me away.”

The words had left Mikleo’s mouth before he could control himself and now he couldn’t take them back. Slowly Sorey let go off him and took a step back to look at Mikleo. His shoulders hung down and he shook his head, seemed to try to find the appropriate words.

“They told you.”

Sorey looked so vulnerable, so _alone_ and Mikleo couldn’t stand to see him like this.

“Yes, Dezel told me what happened. I ... You are important to me and I want to be there for you, Sorey. It’s my risk to take, okay? I don’t want to see you like this – so lonely and resigned to your fate. I ... I’m no one special, but I want to stay with you! So please – don’t push me away.”

They stared at each other for what felt like forever, but then Sorey suddenly started laughing. It was a hollow sound and chilled Mikleo to the bone. He barely managed to catch Sorey as he crumpled to the floor, lowered him gently and sat by him. The trail of tears on the prince’s cheek was clearly visible, even with so little light in the room.

“How foolish of me. How could I ever think I would be able to push you away?”

Trembling fingers gently caressed Mikleo’s face and without having any control over it, he just leaned into the touch – savored it.


End file.
